She asked me to write this down so she could show it to her friend who's thinking of moving here
WhatsApp - March 15, 2024, 9:47 AM
Me: hey so something really bad happened last night
Me: i don't really want to talk about it but i need to tell someone
Sarah: what happened?? are you ok?
Me: i think someone drugged me
Me: i went out with emma and julia to that bar in poblado. the nice one with the rooftop
Me: last thing i remember is like 11pm? talking to them?
Me: next memory is waking up on a bench in the park at 4am
Sarah: WHAT
Sarah: are you serious
Sarah: did you go to hospital?
Me: yeah i'm at hospital now. they did blood test but said whatever it was is probably out of my system by now
Me: everything is gone sarah. phone wallet keys everything
Me: they used my keys to get into my apartment. took my laptop my ipad my camera all my jewelry my PASSPORT
Me: i dont remember anything. i have no idea what happened for like 6 hours
Sarah: oh my god
Sarah: did they... are you
Me: they did tests. everything came back negative. i don't think anything happened like that but i'll never know for sure
Me: that's the worst part. i'll never know
Sarah: i'm booking a flight right now
Me: no don't. i'm okay physically. just really shaken up
Me: police said this happens "all the time" and they can't help
Me: cool cool cool
WhatsApp - March 16, 2024, 6:23 PM
Sarah: have you slept?
Me: not really
Me: keep thinking about it. trying to remember. i can't.
Sarah: you need to come home
Me: i don't have a passport remember. and i can't afford to replace everything AND fly home
Me: i'm stuck here for a while
WhatsApp - March 22, 2024
Sarah: how are you doing?
Me: embassy replaced my passport. took a week and $300
Me: bought a cheap phone. can't afford to replace laptop yet so can't really work
Me: landlord changed the locks but i had to pay for it
Me: i'm... i don't know. i don't go out anymore
Sarah: understandable
Me: emma told me today that this drug is called scopolamine? or burundanga in spanish?
Me: it makes you completely compliant. you'll do whatever someone tells you. hand over your money, give them your address, help them rob yourself
Me: i probably HELPED them rob me sarah. i probably smiled and unlocked my apartment for them
Me: i feel so stupid
Sarah: you're not stupid. they drugged you. this is not your fault.
Me: everyone keeps saying "oh you have to be SO CAREFUL in colombia" like i wasn't being careful
Me: i didn't accept drinks from anyone. i bought my own drink. i watched the bartender make it
Me: i still got drugged
WhatsApp - April 3, 2024
Sarah: you still in medellin?
Me: yeah where else would i go
Me: had to replace my laptop for work. went into debt for it. great.
Sarah: when are you coming home?
Me: i don't know. maybe never?
Me: i know that sounds crazy after what happened but
Me: i still like it here. does that make sense?
Sarah: honestly? no.
WhatsApp - May 18, 2024
Me: phone got stolen today
Sarah: jesus christ
Me: i was walking and looking at google maps. guy on motorcycle just grabbed it out of my hand
Me: this is the second phone in 2 months
Sarah: COME HOME
Me: no
WhatsApp - June 2, 2024
Me: okay so fun story
Me: went on a date from tinder
Sarah: ABSOLUTELY NOT
Sarah: are you insane???
Me: it was FINE. we met at a coffee shop. during the day. i didn't drink anything
Me: but yeah you're right it was probably stupid
Me: he kept asking me to come to his apartment "just to see the view"
Me: i said no obviously
Me: he got weird about it. like pushy
Me: i left
Me: checked reddit later and apparently that's a common scam here. girl brings guy back to apartment, her friends rob him
Me: or worse, they drug him
Sarah: YOU NEED TO LEAVE COLOMBIA
Me: but the coffee was really good
WhatsApp - July 10, 2024
Sarah: mom asked about you
Me: what did you tell her
Sarah: that you're fine and having a great time
Me: lol
Me: thanks for not telling her
Sarah: she would literally fly down there and drag you home
Me: accurate
WhatsApp - August 29, 2024
Me: moving to bogota next month
Sarah: why???
Me: need a change. medellin has too many bad memories now
Me: plus i want to try somewhere new
Sarah: this is insane. you were DRUGGED AND ROBBED and you're just moving to a different city in the same country?
Me: yeah pretty much
Me: i'm aware this doesn't make sense
WhatsApp - September 15, 2024
Me: i'm in bogota
Me: update: i have altitude sickness
Me: feels like my head is going to explode
Sarah: what is wrong with this country
Me: it's 2600 meters elevation. my body is not happy
Me: been throwing up all day
Sarah: GO TO A HOSPITAL
Me: i did. they gave me oxygen and said drink water and rest
Me: very helpful thanks
WhatsApp - September 22, 2024
Me: okay altitude sickness is gone but now i can't sleep
Me: it's so HIGH up here. the air is thin. i wake up feeling like i can't breathe
Sarah: please come home
Me: i'm adjusting
WhatsApp - October 8, 2024
Me: another phone stolen
Sarah: that's THREE
Me: i'm aware
Me: this time it was in a transmilenio bus. pickpocket. didn't even feel it
Sarah: why are you still there
Me: i'm getting a flip phone next. can't steal what has no value
Sarah: this is not normal! you know this isn't normal right?
Me: nothing about this is normal
Me: but also i like my life here? most of the time?
Me: i have friends. i like my apartment. the food is incredible. i'm learning spanish
Me: yes i've been robbed multiple times but
Me: i don't know how to explain it
Sarah: you're trauma bonding with a country
Me: probably yeah
WhatsApp - November 20, 2024
Me: police pulled me over today
Me: i wasn't doing anything wrong but they said my bike registration was "suspicious"
Me: then asked if i wanted to "resolve it here" instead of going to the station
Me: i gave them 50,000 pesos (like $12)
Me: they let me go
Sarah: that's called a bribe
Me: i'm aware
Me: it's just how it works here
Me: everyone does it
Sarah: that doesn't make it okay!
Me: i know! but what was i supposed to do? argue? they'd make it worse
Me: this is colombia. you pay the $12 and move on with your day
WhatsApp - December 3, 2024
Sarah: what are you doing for christmas?
Me: staying here. flights are too expensive
Sarah: mom's going to be upset
Me: i know
Me: tell her i'll visit next year
Sarah: you said that last year
Me: did i?
WhatsApp - January 14, 2025
Me: met a girl yesterday who got drugged last month
Me: same drug. same thing. woke up hours later with everything gone
Sarah: this keeps happening and you're STILL THERE
Me: i know
Me: i don't drink at bars anymore. only bottled water. i don't go out at night much
Me: i'm careful
Sarah: you WERE careful last time and look what happened
Me: yeah.
Me: i think about it every day
Me: that night i can't remember
Sarah: then why stay?
Me: i don't know
Me: because leaving feels like they win?
Me: because i actually love colombia despite everything?
Me: because i don't know where else to go?
Me: probably all of the above
WhatsApp - February 28, 2025
Me: phone stolen again
Sarah: i'm not even surprised anymore
Me: me neither
Me: that's probably bad
WhatsApp - April 10, 2025
Sarah: your friend emma is back in the US right?
Me: yeah she left last month
Me: said she couldn't handle the constant vigilance anymore
Me: which i get
Sarah: you could leave too
Me: i could
Me: but i'm not going to
WhatsApp - May 22, 2025
Sarah: i'm coming to visit in july
Me: REALLY??
Sarah: yeah. i need to see this place for myself
Sarah: and see that you're actually okay
Me: i'm okay
Me: mostly
Sarah: we'll see
WhatsApp - June 15, 2025
Me: okay so for when you visit here's what you need to know
Sarah: i'm listening
Me: never accept drinks from anyone. watch the bartender make it. never put it down
Me: don't use your phone on the street
Me: keep your bag in front of you and hold it tight
Me: use uber not street taxis
Me: don't wear jewelry
Me: bogota is high altitude so you'll feel weird the first few days
Me: the police might try to get a bribe out of you - it's usually around 50,000 pesos just pay it
Me: dating apps are full of scams don't use them
Me: oh and we can't drink tap water
Sarah: this sounds dystopian
Me: no it's fine once you get used to it
Sarah: is it though?
Me: ...
Me: probably not
Me: but the arepas are really good
WhatsApp - July 8, 2025
Sarah: i'm at the airport
Me: okay remember everything i told you
Sarah: yes mom
Me: i'm serious
Me: this isn't seattle. you have to be aware ALL the time
Sarah: i know
Sarah: see you in 6 hours
Me: can't wait to see you
Me: and show you why i'm still here
Me: despite everything
These are real conversations from March 2024 - July 2025. I got drugged and robbed, had 4 phones stolen, paid police bribes, got altitude sickness, and I'm still in Colombia. My sister thinks I'm crazy. She's probably right.
If you're thinking of moving here: know that "Colombia is safe now" means "safer than the 90s" not "safe." The dangers are real. I learned that the hard way. You can love it here and also acknowledge that.